Craig Harrington, technical director of America, highlights the international projection of Liga MX Femenil in his first face-to-face interview with Goal.
Craig Harrington, English technical director, finds significant potential in the Liga MX Femenil. In statements to Goal, the coach of America club highlighted the international projection that the women’s soccer in Mexico, considering the push by Concacaf.
In August 2021, the president of the organization Víctor Montagliani announced the creation of the first Women’s Gold Cup, which will start in 2024 with the participation of 12 teams affiliated with Concacaf.
This will be key to internationalization, also considering that Liga MX Femenil clubs have faced important commitments such as Tigres contra Houston Dash and a few days ago Chivas against the Argentine National Team taking advantage of the last FIFA Date, which marks a precedent for subsequent matches of the 18 teams of the highest circuit.
“It is to go that way, Concacaf has invested in the Women’s Gold Cup, is not stopping that, when you know that this is happening we can reach a point where we have our own Champions League, that would be amazing, but we started having friendlies since I’ve been here, a lot of clubs that finish far, about friendlies, recently Tigres and Houston did, it’s really good to lead different markets. The opportunities are there, we had the match between Chivas and Argentina, It was interesting to see the way he is going, it is really exciting, “he said in his first face-to-face interview in Coapa post-coronavirus pandemic since his arrival at Nido Águila.
From his trench he considered the opportunities that may arise during the breaks of clubs abroad for 2022, whether they are from the NWSL in the United States or competitions from the Old Continent, when they are not in official activity, the same ones that Harrington knows.
“We have a lot of conversations, dialogue, we hope to have some things maybe next year, we are in the middle of the season which makes it really difficult to do something at the moment, obviously Tigres and Houston Dash in the international window don’t have players that I think. they want to see all the fans on the field, I think they are windows of opportunity, the NWSL preseason, European leagues preseason”, He explained.
America contributed three players -Daniela Espinosa, Kiana Palacios and Jocelyn Orejel- for the last concentration of the Mexican National Team where they faced Argentina in Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco, but the aspiration is that they can have more summons and thus nurture the calls of the coach Mónica Vergara.
“I want more of our players there, absolutely more deserve to be in Selection, but it is the feeling of all the coaches in the League, you cannot complain, you saw the results against Argentina and Colombia, but also against the United States and Japan, hopefully we can start to really close the gap, but again that depends on me, up to all the other coaches, develop and work our players for the National Team ”, he mentioned.
Since his arrival at the azulcrema team, replacing Leonardo Cuellar, Harrington has received the necessary tools from the managers Santiago Baños, Claudia Carrión and Joaquín Balcárcel, Emilio Azcárraga’s trusted man in a league that is considered one of the best in the world four years after his birth.
“I think the level is very good, just different. I have seen European leagues, in America and they all have their talents, their individuality. Here the culture is more offensive, the combinations. It is exciting to train. The league has done a great job, you see what all the teams have done, playing for Azteca has been important. It is what the league needs, we are getting closer to where we want to be, but you see every day the investment in the coaches, in the staff, everyone is working so that this league grows, “he explained.
“I can’t speak, because I don’t know about all the teams. You see the big teams what they are doing, you see the facilities, stadiums, I think they are all in different stages but it is making this league the best it can be, “he added.
The London-born is excited about this new stage in Mexico, facing a difficult tournament closing and the illusion of ending the dominance of Tigres de la UANL with four titles in seven tournaments from the Apertura 2017 that Chivas championed.
“It has been fantastic. It is a dream job, it is a privilege to get up to come here every day. There is nothing more you can ask for to be successful. It’s amazing what América Femenil means to all fans. (Tigres) has set the bar high, they have continued their project for years, they have a good synergy, they are players who know their roles, “he said in a talk on the Centenario de Coapa field.
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